Discuss Your Legal Rights with a Rotator Cuff Injury from Vaccine Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a rotator cuff injury after receiving a flu shot or other vaccination, you will want to learn about your legal rights. While these injuries can get expensive quickly, vaccine recipients will be eligible to recover their costs in many cases. You can hire a rotator cuff injury from vaccine lawyer to handle your claim at no out-of-pocket cost; and, if your claim is successful, no legal fees will be deducted from your compensation award.
But, while your legal rights may be clear, strict time restrictions apply. With this in mind, we strongly encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.
The Link Between Rotator Cuff Injuries and Vaccines
The rotator cuff is a bundle of nerves and tendons located in the shoulder. Its job is to help stabilize the shoulder joint and provide strength and mobility throughout the upper arm and back. From rotating and extending our arms to lifting and carrying objects, we use our rotator cuffs in many aspects of our day-to-day lives—until we can’t.
Unfortunately, errors during the vaccination process can cause rotator cuff injuries in some cases. If the needle used for an immunization penetrates the tendons in the rotator cuff, this can cause inflammation. This inflammation, in turn, can cause internal friction and other complications that damage the rotator cuff. If this damage is severe enough—which is not uncommon—it can cause a partial or complete tear.
Signs and Symptoms of a Vaccine-Related Rotator Cuff Injury
How do you know if you or a loved one has a rotator cuff injury from a vaccination? Rotator cuff injuries have several telltale symptoms—although, in some cases, these can be symptomatic of other shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) as well. This makes it critical to try to ensure that you receive an accurate diagnosis. The typical signs of a vaccine-related rotator cuff injury include:
- Persistent shoulder pain (beyond the mild topical pain associated with a vaccine injection)
- Pain that recurs or worsens with arm or shoulder movements
- Pain that prevents you from sleeping on your side
- Muscle weakness and limited mobility in the affected arm and shoulder
- Grating or crackling sounds when you move the affected arm or shoulder
For most people, symptoms will begin to appear within 48 hours of vaccination. If you or a loved one has shoulder pain more than 48 hours after a vaccination (or experiences any of the other symptoms listed above within 48 hours), this is a sign that you may need to seek a diagnosis promptly.
Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis for Rotator Cuff Injuries
For vaccine recipients who have experienced rotator cuff injuries, appropriate diagnosis and treatment are essential. These will help minimize the chances of long-term (or permanent) negative outcomes. Here are some key facts about diagnosing rotator cuff injuries as well as potential treatment options and prognoses:
Diagnosis
A physical exam is typically the first step toward diagnosing a vaccine-related rotator cuff injury. Your doctor will ask you about your pain, assist you with working through (or attempting to work through) various shoulder movements, and then discuss his or her observations with you. If your doctor suspects a rotator cuff tear, he or she will most likely order an MRI, ultrasound or x-ray scan (or some combination of the above). These will allow your doctor to see any tears or other damage to the muscles and tendons in your rotator cuff.
Treatment
Treatment options for rotator cuff injuries vary depending on the severity of the tear. In some cases, anti-inflammatory medications and rest followed by physical therapy will be enough to allow the muscles and tendons in the rotator cuff to heal on their own. But, in other cases, surgery will be necessary. Arthroscopic techniques can often be used to repair relatively minor tears; however, open surgery may be necessary to repair a complete tear where the ends of the muscle or tendon have separated.
Prognosis
With appropriate treatment and recuperation, a complete recovery from a vaccine-related rotator cuff injury is possible in most cases. However, as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains, potential outcomes vary depending “on the size of the tear and how long the tear has been present, the person’s age, and how active the person was before the injury.” Other factors can affect recovery times and the potential for long-term (or permanent) complications as well. Patients who do not fully recover may experience chronic pain and physical limitations, along with other debilitating effects.
Seeking Compensation for a Rotator Cuff Injury from a Vaccine
Individuals who are diagnosed with vaccine-related rotator cuff injuries may be entitled to recover their costs under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP is a federal program that provides compensation for SIRVA and certain other medical conditions caused by common CDC-recommended vaccines. If you have a claim under the VICP:
- You can file a claim without needing to prove the specific cause of your (or your loved one’s) rotator cuff tear, as long as symptoms onset within 48 hours of vaccination.
- You can seek financial compensation for your family’s medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and certain other covered losses.
- You can hire a rotator cuff injury from vaccine lawyer to handle your claim at no cost to you—as the VICP pays claimants’ legal fees separately from their awards.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Rotator Cuff Injury from Vaccine Lawyer Today
Do you need to know more about filing a VICP claim for a rotator cuff tear? If so, we invite you to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant. To speak with an experienced rotator cuff injury from vaccine lawyer about your legal rights in confidence, please call 202-775-9200 or tell us how we can get in touch online today.